Holly Minney
Dispute Resolution
The Renters Rights Bill Timetable
Phase 1
May 2026
- Abolition of Section 21
- Introduction of Assured Periodic Tenancies
- Reform of possession grounds under section 8
- Rent increases limited to once per year
- Ban on rental bidding and rent in advance
- It will become illegal for Landlords to discriminate against renters with children and /or those who receive benefits
- Landlords will be forced to consider a tenant’s request to keep a pet
- Increased local council enforcement and rent repayment orders.
- Landlords will be required to provide certain information to Tenants in writing about the terms of their tenancy, this is likely to be in the form of a tenancy agreement.
- Where Landlords have existing tenants on w written tenancy agreement, they will need to serve a government information sheet on or before the 31st May 2026 , which will inform tenants about the changes made by the Act- this document should be available from March 2026
- If a Landlord has a verbal tenancy with a Tenant they will need to serve a written summary of the main terms before 31st May 2026.
Phase 2
Late 2026
- Introduction of the Landlords Database and the Landlord Ombudsmen- this will be undertaken in two stages.
- Stage 1- regional roll out of the Landlords Database
- Stage 2- Further roll out of the database and introduction of the Landlord Ombudsmen
- It is expected Landlord will need to sign up to the Ombudsman service in 2028.
Phase 3
Dates to Follow
- Introduction of the Decent homes standard
- Extension of Awaab’s Law to the private rented sectors.
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